The invention relates to a chair adapted to be stacked, of the type known on the market as xe2x80x9cChiavari stylexe2x80x9d chair.
This type of chair comprises a rear frame consisting of two rear uprights of a slightly arched shape, the concavity of which is turned outwardly, which are made rigid with each other by a plurality of crosspieces.
The chair also comprises a front frame of less height, in turn comprising two front uprights and crosspieces rigidly connecting the front uprights themselves. Lateral crossbars are provided for each side of the chair. A seat is engaged at the rear with an intermediate portion of the rear frame and at the front with an upper portion of the front frame.
It is known that this type of chair is particularly widespread and is supplied in great amounts from agencies renting equipment for occasional events. It is greatly used for events such as marriages and parties in general, due to its agreeable and refined appearance and to its rigidity which makes it be classified as a chair of greater importance than folding chairs, and also due to the fact that this chair, in spite of its being rigid, can be easily stacked on other similar chairs, thus greatly promoting transport and storage of same.
In order to promote stacking, the seats of these chairs are provided, at the back and angularly, with notches in which the rear uprights of each chair to be superposed can be inserted, whereas the front uprights of the overlying chair are disposed before the seat of the same underlying chair.
In spite of said advantageous stacking capability, xe2x80x9cChiavari stylexe2x80x9d chairs of known type have the drawback that stacks or piles of reduced sizes can only be obtained because beyond a given number of said chairs in a superposed relationship, situations of unsteadiness may be created with the risk that said piles may be undone.
Practically, in order to prevent the chairs from falling or to avoid undoing of the piles formed by the superposed chairs, stacks of reduced sizes are only made, which brings about clear negative effects on costs and transportation times in storage operations.
Another drawback results from the structure of these chairs made up of a great number of rod-like elements. This structure enables a minimum overall bulkiness when the chairs are completely disassembled into their individual elements, but makes assembling operations complicated, delicate and very difficult.
A further drawback is connected with the fact that connections between the different parts of this chair are made by gluing and/or screw threaded connecting elements. Under stress and in time, these connections may break down, in particular at the seat where the greatest efforts occur.
It should be finally pointed out that the chairs in question have the particular feature of being greatly standardized in their aesthetic appearance and therefore possible structural modifications tending to reduce or eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks must not completely alter, or at all events greatly change, the appearance of said chairs.
Under this situation, the technical task of the invention is to devise a chair adapted to be stacked, of the above described type, i.e. a xe2x80x9cChiavari stylexe2x80x9d chair, capable of substantially obviating the mentioned drawbacks while keeping the traditional aesthetic appearance of said chair substantially unchanged. Within the scope of said technical task, it is an important aim of the invention to devise a chair capable of forming stacks or piles of greater sizes and steadiness than those obtainable with the chairs of known type.
Another important aim of the invention is to devise a chair adapted to be stacked that while being of a minimum bulkiness when completely disassembled, is particularly strong and can be easily and quickly assembled.
The technical task mentioned and the aims specified are achieved by a chair adapted to be stacked of the type comprising: a rear frame including two rear uprights and rear crosspieces connecting said rear uprights with each other, a front frame including two front uprights and front crosspieces connecting said front uprights with each other, said front and rear uprights having lower portions defining sections designed to rest on the ground, and a seat and lateral crossbars connecting said rear uprights to said front uprights, said chair comprising shaped close-fit regions formed in at least one of said frames and adapted to removably engage, by close fitting, an underlying chair in a stacked position, said engagement taking place by forced and substantially elastic deformation of at least one of said frames at said shaped close-fit regions.